Earth anchor



May C, E;` HANDEL EARTH ANCHOR Filed Dec. 16, 1952 Patented May l, 1934 TATES QFFiC EARTH ANCHOR Application December 16, 1932, Seriai No. 647,642

Claims.

My invention relates to that class of earth anchors which are now commonly employed in anchoring guy Wires for telephone poles and highway guard cables and the like, and which are 5. designed 4to be inserted in the earth when in a collapsed position and expanded to anchoring position.

The object of my invention is to provide an anchor of this class of simple, durable and inex- 19 pensive construction made of a minimum number of parts, all of which may be formed complete of cast metal without coring, in the casting process, and without the necessity of machining before assembly and use.

More specically it is my object to provide an anchor of this character in which the ancho-ring wings when in a collapsed position will occupy a minimum of space transversely so that the anchor may be inserted in a relatively small hole V530v bored in the earth, and when expanded will oier a maximum of wing surface for earth engaging purposes.

A further object is to provide an anchor or" this character which when expanded will rmly and securely hold each of the wings against lateral tilting movements such as might occur if one of the Wings engaged an obstruction at one edge. My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the Various SO parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed o-ut in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation partly in section illustrating my improved earth anchor, and shown by solid lines in collapsed position for insertion in an opening in the earth, and by dotted lines in an expanded position. At the upper left corner of this figure there is illustrated in section the construction of the hinge lug on the head in engagement with a hinge bearing on the wing.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a top or plan View of my improved anchor in expanded position; and

Figure 4 shows a side elevation or" my improved earth anchor in its partially expanded position as adapted for use as a cone anchor, the lower portion of the spreading and locking plate being shown in section to illustrate the connection between the said plate and the central supporting rod.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral to indicate generally the spreading and supporting plate which is preferably circular in outline, and has at its lower end a rectangular socket 11 to receive the head 12 of the central supporting rod 13, which is held therein against rotation. This ring is formed at its upper outer surface with a series or shoulders 14 for purposes hereinafter made clear.

rihe head is indicated generally by the reference numeral 15 and may be formed complete in one piece of cast malleable metal without coring P and is provided with a central opening 16 through which the rod 13 is extended. On the under surface of the head 15 there is formed a series of downwardly extended hinge lugs 17, and projected downwardly from the central portion of the head 15 is a series of spacing lugs 18.

The upper surface of the head 15 is shaped and designed to receive hammer blows for expanding the anchor.

The wings are each formed complete in a single piece of material and may be cast, and each wing is indicated generally by the reference numeral 19. The side edges of the wings, as clearly shown in Figure 2, are when in their collapsed position curved outwardly as shown at 20, and each wing is formed near its upper inner end with a slot 21 and a hinge bearing member 22 between the slot and the adjacent end of the wing.

Each wing is also provided on its under inner surface with two widely spaced apart reinforcing and locking ribs 23, and these ribs are provided with a series of notches 24, for purposes hereinafter disclosed, on the outer upper surface of each wing, and between the ribs 23 is a longitudin nally arranged rib 25 for reinforcing purposes.

My improved anchor is of very inexpensive construction, because it has few parts and each part may be formed complete oi' cast malleable metal without coring in the casting process and without the necessity of any machining or the use or" bolts 9 or the like for assembly purposes.

To assemble my improved anchor, the rod 13 is first extended through the ring 10 and the head 15, and then the hinge lugs 17 are extended through the slots 21 and their lower ends are bent around the hinge bearings 22, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and this is all the work necessary to permanently assemble the anchor.

When thehead is moved upwardly away from the ring 10, the wings will assume the collapsed position as illustrated in Figure 1. When in this position, the wings will occupy a minimum of transverse area so they may be inserted in a hole in the earth of minimum diameter, because the edges of the wings are curved outwardly and upwardly at 20, as shown in Figure 2.

When the anchor has been inserted in a hole, and it is desired to expand the wings to a maxlmum, the operator hammers upon the head 15 and thus forces the lower ends of the wings downwardly and outwardly with the ribs 23 riding upon the ring 10 to spread them. When these wings have reached their proper position for maximum expansion, the lugs 18 on the head 15 will engage the top of the ring 10 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, and this will prevent further expanding movements.

In this connection it may be noted that the greatest efficiency or". the anchor is attained when the wings are slightly inclined inwardly and upwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Figure l. When in this position the notches 24 on the ribs 23 will engage and coact with the shoulders 14 on the ring 10 to lock the wings against collapsing movement.

It is sometimes desirable to use an anchor in the manner in which so-called cone anchors are commonly employed. That is to say, the wings are expanded to the position for forming a cone of the desired degree of angularity, as for instance that illustrated in Figure 4. Then the hole in the ground is made large enough to receive the anchor when in that position, and when the anchor` has been placed in the bottom of the hole, rocks or other lling means are placed in the hole over the cone anchor to hold it in position.

My improved anchor is well adapted for this purpose, became when its expanded position for use as a cone anchor, the lugs 24 coact with the shoulders 14 and lock the wings at the angles at which they are originally set against collapsing movement, and because there is a number of lugs and a number of shoulders all engaging, and because there are two spaced apart ribs on each wing, a highly efficient locking action is obtained for this purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. n an earth anchor, the combination ci a head, a spreading and locking ring, a rod connected to said ring and passed through said head, a series of wings pivoted to the head, each wing having two spaced apart longitudinal ribs on its under surface and notches in said ribs to coact with said ring to lock the wings in various positions and to prevent lateral tilting of the wings when subjected to upward strains upon the anchor.

2. In an earth anchor, the combination of a head, a spreading and locking ring, formed with a series of locking shoulders at its upper outer surface, a rod connected to said ring and passed through said head, a series of wings pivoted to the head, each wing having two spaced apart longitudinal ribs on its under surface and notches in said ribs to coact with said ring to lock the wings in Various positions and to prevent lateral tilting of the wings when subjected to upward strains upon the anchor.

3. In an earth anchor, the combination of a head, a spreading and locking ring, a rod connected to said ring and passed through said head, a series of wings pivoted to the head, each wing having two spaced apart longitudinal ribs on its under surface and notches in said ribs to coact with said ring to lock the wings in various positions and to prevent lateral tilting of the wings when subjected to upward strains upon the anchor, and a reinforcing rib on the upper outer face of each wing between said ribs on the under inner surfaces thereof.

4. An improved earth anchor comprising a head member formed of bendable metal and having a series of downwardly extending hinge member lugs and a series of downwardly extended spacing lugs, a series of wings, each formed with a slot and a hinge bearing member adjacent the slot, said hinge members of the head being bent around said hinge bearing members of the wings, and a spreading plate at the base of the anchor to be engaged by said spaced lugs to limit the spreading movement of the wings.

5. An earth anchor comprising a spreading and locking plate, a rod xed thereto and extended upwardly, a head of bendable material having a central opening through which said rod is extended, said head having a series of hinge lugs and a series of spacing lugs on its under surface and its upper surface being designed to receive hammer blows for expanding the anchor, a series of wings each having its side edges inclined outwardly when in collapsed position for occupying a minimum of space transversely ofthe anchor, each wing also having a slot formed therein with one of said hinge lugs extended through the slot and each wing also having on its under inner surface two spaced ribs formed with notches to engage the spreading and locking ring, for the purposes stated.

CHARLES E. HANDEL. 

